Ron Pratte’s prestigious collection of automobilia will kick off the 44th Annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction beginning Saturday, Jan. 10 at 9 a.m. and running through Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. Pratte’s vehicles first cross the block at 4 p.m. on Tuesday with lot numbers 2000 through 2109 and will continue with lot numbers 2500 through 2530 on Saturday, Jan. 17.

1954 Chevrolet Corvette Coddington Custom

This 1954 Chevrolet Corvette (Lot #2014) has Boyd Coddington’s handprints all over it. The project began with a hand-built Art Morrison chassis that features a complete C5 Corvette front suspension. Out back is a dynamite-proof Ford nine-inch rear axle suspended by a popular 4-link setup with an adjustable coilover shock arrangement.

This first-generation Corvette will host the dimensions of a modern V8. The 400 horse LS2 small block Chevy sports a custom and finned aluminum early-style fuel injection plenum to disguise the LS2 front feed induction. A battle-proven yet streetable Richmond 5-speed is used to create a power-delivery system that can take this car to another world of performance.

The interior has been upgraded to match the rest of the car with two-tone brown leather seats and a woven wool carpet. The changes are in typical Boyd style, honoring originality even though they are always significant in nature. Custom gauges in the original location are now housed in a one-of-a-kind machined aluminum bezel.

The interior was done by Gabe Lopez and pinstriping by Dennis Rickleffs. It has Boyd Coddington wheels with vintage Firestone dirt track tires and Stewart Warner “wings” gauges with column-mount tachometer. This is truly a piece of Hot Rod history, and most importantly, it is a Rod Bods steel body.

This Boyd Coddington-built ’27 Ford Model T (Lot #2059) is as sanitary as any of the late Hot Rod hero’s other creations. Rolling on a custom boxed frame with dropped transverse leaf springs on both ends, Boyd eschewed high zoot billet goodies on this one and chose a dropped and drilled front beam axle and smooth-housing Ford 9” live axle out back.